Best school districts: Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock are in Douglas County School District, one of Colorado’s top-ranked. Broomfield feeds into Boulder Valley School District. Aurora’s Cherry Creek School District boundaries cover some of the metro’s highest-performing schools.
Best value for families: Thornton ($525,000 median), Brighton (newer construction in the $400,000s-$500,000s), and Northglenn ($460,000-$475,000 and declining).
Best lifestyle + amenities: Highlands Ranch has 4 recreation centers, 70+ miles of trails, and 2,000+ acres of open space. Lakewood puts you 15 minutes from Red Rocks and the foothills. Golden is one of Colorado’s most walkable small cities with immediate mountain access. See all our suburb guides.